53.  Al-Jawabreh. A, Barghuthy .F,  Schnur. L.F, Jacobson R.L, Schönian. G  ,Abdeen. Z.  Epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the endemic area of Jericho, Palestine.  Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2003; 9(4): 805-815.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease.   It is transmitted from its reservoir the fat sand rats, Psammomys Obesus, by females of sand flies; Phlebotomus papatasi.  A medical history survey (passive surveillance) using data between 94-99 of 152 patients was reviewed, an ELISA test on samples from 190 individuals was administered, and a questionnaire survey on 247 participants was conducted.  The latter samples were selected from Jericho city and Aqubat Jaber refugee camp population to study the prevalence of CL parasitic disease.  In the passive surveillance survey 60 (39.5%) of the infected individuals were adults and 92 (60.5%) were children.  In the ELISA test the most prevalent serotype strain was the Kenyan B2 subserotype L. major with 60 (26.4%) from the whole population infected. The questionnaire indicated decreased frequency of the infection as the level of education of the head of household increased and when children slept under net beds.